


now teach me,

by Raging_Nerd



Series: riju's adventures in zora's domain (and other things), [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Fluff, Heart-to-Heart, How Do I Tag, I Love You, Near Death Experiences, Near drowing, Rare Pairings, Swimming, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Zora's Domain, it's super cute, like why isn't it a thing already, this isn't a ship but they deserve a tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:34:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22852570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raging_Nerd/pseuds/Raging_Nerd
Summary: “Perhaps this is too much for you,” he said, turning the chieftain so she was facing him.She did, however, rest her hands on the ones that kept her steady, looking down at the Zora prince. “It’s too late for assumptions,” she said dryly, taking a breath before continuing. “You came all this way to help me swim, now teach me.”---or, author wants to know why the heck this isn't a thing, so she wrote a drabble.
Relationships: Riju/Prince Sidon (Legend of Zelda)
Series: riju's adventures in zora's domain (and other things), [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1650220
Comments: 8
Kudos: 13





	now teach me,

**Author's Note:**

> Please enjoy it! Sidon and RIju are really cute... trust me.

A staring contest ensued between the two as emerald green eyes met the patient gaze of the golden pair. She stared. He stared. She stared. He stared. A pause. A breath. A huff. A sigh.

“Do you not want to get in?” Prince Sidon asked, walking away from the midst of the river to meet Riju where she stood on the banks. He gestured around him, making an effort to drop to one knee when he was finally in front of her. “It’s not too cold now,” he said, making a swirl in the water with his hand. “Coming in isn’t too hard, either.”

Riju made a strangled noise in the back of her throat, ignoring what he said in favour of watching the birds fly overhead. She raised an eyebrow at the small flock flying in the distance. There must be a shrine nearby. When she looked at Sidon again, her eyes fell to his outstretched hand, and her gaze rose to meet his own warily.

“You won’t know if you love it until you try it, Riju,” he said smartly, and the chieftain sighed. Giving his hand one last distrusting look, she placed her own in it, trying not to focus on the odd heat it conveyed or the mere  _ size _ of his hand alone.

She allowed Sidon to pull her into the water, keeping her eyes on her feet as they neared the place he originally was in. She stopped following, however, when the water reached her hips, shivering at the chill that passed through her frame. Sidon didn’t judge. Rather, he waited for her to get over her initial shock before squeezing her hand. Riju smiled then, wallowing farther into the blue knowing he would be there if anything went wrong.

Although summertime had allowed for warmer water and the wearing of her traditional Gerudo wear, Riju decided she was not fond of this swimming the Zora did. Besides, she lived in the desert. There is no need or time to learn how to swim… not when more pressing matters existed.

The chieftain hadn’t realized she stopped again, taking in a few large breaths when only her neck and head remained over the river’s current. Sidon looked pitiful, staring down at her. “Come now, Riju,” he said gently, using his free hand to pat her head. “There is nothing to be afraid of.”

He smiled that million dollar smile she had become so used to seeing. 

“I’m here with you. Nothing wrong will happen, I swear on Jabu Jabu,” he added cheekily, and Riju raised an eyebrow at him, choosing to ignore the sensation of her feet losing their footing in favour of engaging in conversation.

“Jabu Jabu?” Riju repeated, hoping Sidon didn’t notice the way her grip on his hand tightened briefly when she felt the current pulling her away. From the look on his face, Riju guessed he didn’t even realize she even moved. She suppressed a snort, looking up at him for an answer.

“The guardian of the Zora,” he said, tugging her hand, and soon they were wading once again. “He’s extremely benevolent, mind you, and really likes eating fish.” The prince paused, glancing back at Riju before continuing. “A long time ago, it is said that Ganondorf placed a curse on--  _ ow!” _

Riju brought her hand back to the water’s surface, scowling at Sidon. Said prince rubbed his cheek, watching her warily.

“You know you aren’t supposed to speak of him so casually, Sidon!” She chastised, but the taller only shrugged, dismissing her correction to resume his story.

“Ganondorf placed a curse on him that caused Jabu Jabu to become unsettled,” he paused for dramatic effect. “Little did the royal family know that an evil parasite had formed in his stomach, giving Jabu Jabu horrific cravings.” Sidon smiled then, shaking his head. “It is why Princess Ruto was swallowed, only to be saved by a certain sword-wielding Hylian.”

Riju shook her head, bringing her other hand to clasp Sidon’s wrist. “That sounds a lot like Master Link,” she remarked, glaring at the water when it picked her off her feet again. At this point, finding the river’s floor was becoming more difficult given her height. If Sidon were to let go of her, she would flail helplessly before being dragged off to her demise.

A shudder ran through her before she felt exactly what she had feared.

The prince’s grip had left her only for a second, but Riju felt as if she was bound to drown. She kicked and kicked, arms hitting the water in an attempt to keep afloat, but to no avail. She was about to cry when two heavy hands placed themselves on her waist, lifting her up and putting her down all too soon. When she looked over her shoulder, Sidon only smiled at her.

(he had not yet removed his hands.)

“Perhaps this is too much for you,” he said, turning the chieftain so she was facing him. It only then occurred to Riju that he was now "shorter" than her with most of his body under the current. She hid her surprise, glaring at him instead. He laughed: a light, cheery thing that seemed to blend in with the serene atmosphere of the world around them. 

She did, however, rest her hands on the ones that kept her steady, looking down at the Zora prince. “It’s too late for assumptions,” she said dryly, taking a breath before continuing. “You came all this way to help me swim, now teach me.” 

He nodded, standing so he towered her once again. His hands shifted so one rested under her head and the other on the small of her back. Her eyes widened when she realized he had tipped her backwards, but the prince only shook his head.

“You Gerudo are not like us Zora,” he started, watching her carefully. “Zora younglings are thrown into the water as soon as they learn to walk. You, however, have never taken time to learn, correct?”

Riju nodded, or tried to at least.

“We’ll try to get you to float first. It is not too hard, I promise,” he said warmly, and Riju enveloped herself in the soft tone of his voice. Floating. Easy peasy.

When he thought she was comfortable, Sidon told her to close her eyes. Of course, the chieftain had a problem with this, glaring up at him accusingly. “You expect me to trust this river to not take me downstream?” she squawked, and Sidon shook his head, laughing.

“No, of course not,” he replied, smiling again. “In fact, we want the river to take you away. You need to learn to become one with it.” He tapped her back and she cursed again. “Relax, Riju. You are far too tense.” He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “Floating is virtually impossible if you are only thinking of sinking.”

He lessened the hold on her back, and Riju shifted immediately, slipping out of his grasp and into the river water. She did manage to keep her head above the current, spitting out the water that got into her mouth. Sidon laughed and she frowned, but she couldn’t help the smile that pulled at her lips.

The prince held out his hand again, and Riju took it, allowing him to put her back into position.

“Trust me this time,” he said, and the chieftain found herself nodding as she closed her eyes. Water lapped at her ears, her cheeks; splashed onto her face, which she wrinkled her nose at. Danced with her fingers, her toes--

And then the familiar pressure was gone.

She didn’t react. Her finger twitched, her eyes cracked open, but she didn’t react. Taking a steadying breath, Riju allowed the current to take her. She relished in the sounds of birds flying above, of water splashing against rocks, of tree branches rustling against each other.

(she ignored the relief that ebbed at her chest when she heard the splash next to her; 

he was following; he was there.)

Ignoring her racing heart, Riju cleared her throat, hoping to get the attention of her mentor. 

“Sidon,” she tried, brows furrowing together when she was met with silence. “Sidon?” she echoed, opening her eyes and turning her head slightly. Her heart dropped to her stomach.

Nothing.

And then the tranquility was gone, exchanged with irritable fear and panic as Riju felt gravity pull her back to earth. Her feet didn’t touch the surface, no, they thrashed underneath her, kicking in panic as she searched for her companion. Her head shifted from side to side, and tears began to form in her eyes when she couldn’t see him.

She could’ve sworn her heart skipped a beat when her head was suddenly submerged in water, resurfacing seconds later only to be brought down again. Riju cursed internally, trying to pull herself up and failing as her efforts were in vain.

Is this how the Gerudo Chieftain died? With no heir to the throne? With no successor to bond with Naboris? As a failure?

Riju couldn’t find it in herself to fight when the waves took her under again, bathing her world in a murky blue. Perhaps she could find peace here… under the water… fate intended it to be so, she mused, eyes shut… may the goddesses Nayru and Hylia hold her name in their hearts forevermore--

But alas, her procession was cut short when two arms hefted her out of the water, pulling her now shivering frame to shore as a series of “sorrys” left her saviour’s lips.

She did not hide her relief when she felt the grass under her head, threading her fingers through the now familiar greenery. Riju blinked owlishly at Sidon who was hovering above her, raising an eyebrow when the prince released a sigh of relief. She tried lifting her head when Sidon took one of her hands in his, but he shook his head, pushing her shoulder down so she lay flat once more.

“I am so, so sorry, Riju,” he said quietly, and the chieftain felt her insides twist at the pain in his voice. “Rena came up the path with her brother, Tello, calling my name. Being younglings, I had to heed to them… but only after making sure you were within my sight.”

The prince paused, and Riju squeezed his hand, urging him to continue with a tired smile.

“When they had finally decided to resume their walk, you were gone,” he said, clenching his jaw as he replayed it in his mind. “I didn’t know where you had gone before you started calling me.” He paused, working his jaw. “I’m so sorry, Riju.”

With no reply, Riju sat up slowly, coughing as whatever water remained in her system found its way out. She held his hand in her lap then, looking up at the prince that still dwarfed her in height on his knees. 

“There is no need to apologize, Sidon,” Riju replied, giving him a lopsided smile. The Zora prince frowned, and Riju sighed, pulling her hand away from his. She smirked when his surprised gaze flickered to hers, but it was quickly lost when she placed her hands on either side of his crest, forcing him to bend over so they were eye level for the second time that afternoon.

“Have I died, Prince Sidon?” she asked, and Sidon shook his head to the best of his ability.

“Am I wounded, Prince Sidon?” she asked, and her companion hesitated before shaking his head.

“And so, does that give you a reason to feel guilt?” she finally said, and Sidon sighed, covering her hands with his own and moving them to the side of his face.

“I suppose not,” he said softly, and Riju nodded.

“Exactly. So please, for your sake and mine, stop acting as if I died,” she teased, wriggling her hands out of his grip.

(he let her go without a fight;

she kinda wished he hadn’t.)

He helped her stand then, holding out his arm for her to take. 

“We should probably head back to the Domain for supper,” he said, and RIju smiled, looping her arm with his. They walk in silence before he looked down at her again. “I would only hope you enjoyed swimming today,” he added, and Riju snorted, earning a smile from the taller man.

“I don’t think ‘becoming one’ with the river counts as swimming, fish bait,” she said curtly, grinning at the laugh that left him once again.

She couldn’t ignore the smile pulling at her lips… that and the odd feeling in her stomach, as if she was walking on a cloud or being inhabited by a swarm of butterflies.

Glancing at Sidon again, she felt her cheeks heat when he caught her gaze, hiding her embarrassment with a swat at his hand when he ruffled her hair.

Perhaps it was nothing at all.

**FIN**

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it? I love them a lot. It's definitely a rarepair, but like, I hope you can see my point with this one. The height differences? Personality differences? Desert literally meets the sea?
> 
> Thanks for reading either way. Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated! Tell me what you think!
> 
> Much love <3


End file.
